Engineering prospects in Australia!

Hey all! Been a member here for a long time I started back in 2012 with usual milestone updates here: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/search.php?searchid=5418172

I've always had Australia in mind and have played the long game for six years. Went to university to study Mechanical Engineering, did an internship, upgraded from Bachelor's to Master's, and now secured a graduate job in the UK. And now I'm into my 18th month of experience as a Mechanical Engineer! I've heard the golden number is about three years of experience before I should strongly consider moving to Australia, so I still have a bit of time to go. Of course a visa takes approximately 9 months from start to finish too.

So for now I am in the mindset that I should carry on doing what I'm doing, building up the mileage here in the UK - but should keep an watchful eye on the engineering employment market in Australia. The difficulty I'm having is knowing how well that market is going. Although I have fully read articles from Engineers Australia among other companies such as Hays, I still don't have a voice of singularity defining what the current market is like, and what it is predicted to be like in one or two years time.

Can anyone in Engineering tell me what it's like over there? Are jobs easy to come by? Becoming easier or harder? Do I have much chance of snagging a successful career there, both now and in two years time? Where can I find more information?

I'd say that for someone my age I do very well when it comes to my career and have never really struggled to win an interview, so would argue I can look at the market with a more optimistic view rather than pessimistic. I'm looking to settle in Melbourne above anywhere else. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering I have more specific experience in Chief Engineering (with project management) and Process Control Engineering. Working in the Building Construction Vehicles industry (Think CAT, JCB, Komatsu etc.)

I appreciate this question may be vague but honestly any feedback is appreciated and thought of! Best regards, Adrian.

I am sure your age and skills will stand you in good stead, but don't forget that with the demise of the automotive manufacturing industry in Australia, there is currently a surfeit of experienced manufacturing engineers, process engineers and project managers on the market here in Australia who are looking to move into new areas, so that will be your main competition.

I would say for reasons that Diane has stated, there would be better opportunities for you in the UK/Europe at present.

A friend of mine, an older mechanical engineer who has been around the block a few times says he has never known it so bad.. This is in Victoria. Lots of various engineers coming back from Perth adding to the numbers of unemployed engineers also.. This seems to be at all levels.. He has a job and designs metal fabrication 'things' which is a big drop down from what he used to do, some sort of design engineering in heavy industry.. His wage is also much lower than it was in the year 2000 so if you are doing well in the UK you might be gambling to come over to Oz right now.

I don't know if things have changed since we left in March, though I doubt it. In March mechanical engineers had double digit unemployment rates. In your sector it would be particularly hard as that work is all done in Asia. Compounding things will be that Oz is about to lose its entire car industry.

I was talking with an engineer last time I was in Perth. I asked him for a cheeseburger. He asked if I wanted fries with that. Old joke but Perth especially, and Australia in general can be cruel.

But apply away. Even in a recession if you are a good match you can land a job. If you are exactly what they are looking for they may hire. Just bear in mind if you migrate and look, it may be tough, have plenty of cash behind you, and be prepared for disappointment and ready to write it off as an extended holiday if it goes pear shaped.